Liza Maza

Liza Maza (born 8 September, 1957) is a Filipino activist and development worker. She represents the Gabriela Women's Party in the 13th Congress of the Philippines.

Hardworking, persistent, creative and principled best describe the woman activist, parliamentarian and internationalist that is Liza Largoza-Maza.

Having honed her passion for public service and activism through integration with urban poor women and workers since her days as a student leader at the University of the Philippines, Liza is one who never hesitates to bring issues from the grassroots to the frontlines of rallies and picketlines to the halls of Congress.

Liza currently serves as the representative of Gabriela Women’s Party in the 13th Congress. In the 12th Congress, she served as the sole woman representative of Bayan Muna. As a woman legislator, she was among the authors and a sponsor of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 and a co-author of the Anti-Violence in Women and Children Act (Anti-VAWC).

Liza believes that her work as an activist legislator in Congress is complimentary to the mass campaigns for workers’ and peasants’ rights and welfare.

In support of women workers, she initiated investigations into the rampant practice of contractualization and its impact on women workers. She is the principal author of a bill now pending in Congress, that seeks ensure workers’ rights to security of tenure by putting an end to contractualization.

A witness to the adverse impact of globalization on the country’s agricultural sector, Liza is a staunch oppositor of the Philippine government’s continues adherence to the GATT-WTO. She joins peasant women in their struggle against globalization. And in response to the onslaught of militarization in peasant communities, Liza delivered her maiden privilege speech on the plight of Mangyan women in the highly militarized province of Mindoro Oriental.

Liza is also an advocate of the youth’s basic right to education and teachers’ welfare. She conceived the 20-20 formula, urging legislators to allocate 20% of their Priority Development Assistance Fund for the construction of classrooms. She also opposed the arbitrary imposition of tuition fee hikes and called for increased government subsidy for State Colleges and Universities. Having spoken in several international conferences on the plight and struggles of Filipino women, Liza is a prominent figure even in international communities. Liza is among the prime movers of GABRIELA’s Purple Rose Campaign, a global campaign to end sex trafficking in Filipino women and children.

Liza mixes creative ideas in various campaigns pursuing new politics and reforms. She was a prime mover of the GABRIELA Fashion Show that highlighted the women’s opposition to ousted President Estrada. She has twice participated in V-Day programs against violence. Her position against US military intervention and war was displayed in a Filipiniana outfit and a handpainted panuelo as US President Bush addressed the Philippine Congress last year.

Liza believes the progress and success of campaigns against violence and for genuine reforms in the society lie in the active participation of women from the grassroots.

This feminist is an endearing mother to two boys. Liza ensures that both Niko and AG grow learning to respect and recognize every woman’s worth.

Representative, 14th Congress Gabriela Women's Party with membership in the following committees: Agrarian Reform Agriculture and Food Appropriations Women and Gender Equality Human Rights Foreign Affairs Health Justice Constitutional Amendments Globalization and WTO Interparliamentary Relations and Diplomacy Millennium Development Goals National Defense and Security Revisions of Laws Rules Population and Family Relations Representative, 13th Congress Gabriela Women’s Party with membership in the following Committees: Women (1st Vice Chairperson) Higher and Technical Education (Vice Chairperson) Civil, Political and Human Rights Foreign Affairs Health Justice Ways and Means Appropriations Suffrage and Electoral reforms

Representative, 12th Congress, Bayan Muna Partylist Authored 18 bills and 24 resolutions at the 12th Congress President, Gabriela Women’s Party Vice Chairperson, GABRIELA Women’s Alliance Member of the Executive Committee and Coordinator for the Asia-Pacific Region, Women’s International Democratic Federation Founding Member, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Philippines section

On August 21, 2008, the Guimba, Nueva Ecija RTC Judge Napoleon Sta. Romana in a 12-page order, dismissed kidnapping with murder charges against Rep. Satur Ocampo and 3 other party-list lawmakers Reps. Teodoro Casino, Liza Maza and Rafael V. Mariano of BAYAN. The cases originated from the alleged "salvage" (summary execution) of 3 rebel returnees Danilo Felipe in Guimba in 2001, Jimmy Peralta in 2003 and Carlito Bayudan in 2004. But the court found probable cause and issued warrants for the arrest of 14 other co-accused. [ [http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=129105 abs-cbnnews.com, Ecija court drops kidnapping, murder charges vs Satur, 3 others] ]

ee also

* GABRIELA
* Ninotchka Rosca

External links

* [http://members.tripod.com/~gabriela_p/home.html GABRIELA]
* [http://gabrielawomensparty.net/ Gabriela Women's Party]

References